Autorouting

About the Autorouting

The maps offered here are to be used for recreational / touristic cycling and/or roadbiking. There is a general preference to route you small streets and cycleways. Streets have lower priotriy. However note that the GPS will not take huge detours on trails to avoid a primary or secondary highway - even though they have the lowest priority. Autorouting with my maps is unusable with a motorcar. Use another Openstreetmap implementation instead if you intend to use your car.

Please note, the instructions below are only valid for Velomap - other maps might behave differently. Also note, never have to different maps, which both offer Autorouting, enabled on your GPS device. In that case routing results will be erroneus or bogus (or failing). As the format of Garmins new maps with Activity Routing is not known, I have tweaked the maps to give similar or better results, by tricking the maps in such a way, that cycle routes are like interstate highways, while primary or secondary big roads are residential roads for the routing software. Therefore read carefully (actually the results you can achieve with my maps, are far superior for cycling, compared to any Garmin map as of 2012 (and Velomaps offer routing for bicycle since 2009, so long before Garmin copied it)).

In general as of summer 2015 I advise to use Dirt-Biking (best) or ATV (still very good) as autorouting profiles (and watch out for avoidances - you need to configure them specially)!

Usage Instructions - For All Programs / GPS.

Mapsource vs Basecamp vs GPS settings

Note that all may behave different. In principle we have the following classes:

Old Generation - Mapsource, Basecamp v1 & v2 & v3.1, v3.2, All Garmin GPS WITHOUT Activity Routing (etrex vista/legend hcx or older, edge 705, GPS Maps 60 series; AND Dakota, Oregon, Montana, 62 series,  with older Firmwares )

New Generation - Basecamp v3.3 or v4. Dakota, Oregon, Montana, 62 sries with newest Firmware

I'm not sure where and how to classifiy Nuvi and Zumo devices. I think most fall into Class 1. Etrex 10/20/30 also belongs to this group, however only has very limited activity routing support (only Automotive, Bicycling, Pedestrian). All other Class 2 devices, should support all Activity Routing Profiles.

In Class 1, there is still one Distinction. In Mapsource under options/autorouting you have a slider to prefer small roads (left side) to highways (right side). If you move this slider to the right hand side, better suited ways/streets will be preferred. On the GPS such a setting does not exist, but the GPS is anyhow more strict on choosing well suited roads. On the other hand the "route calculation method" is only available on the GPS.

Faster Time vs Shorter Distance

With my maps shorter distance already tries to route over nice ways. If you use "faster time" - especially in combination with car/motorcycle or Automotive mode, then an even higher preference for "nice" ways will be used and routes tend to be longer (more detours) overall. With my maps there is no such routing as really shortest distance (it is actually impossible to do really have autorouting on Garmin GPS find the shortest route over long distances). If you use shorter distance the route will be in general straighter and with less detours - also longer overall distances will be calculated without crashing (error notice, no actual crash).

Estimated Arrival time

Garmin is not supporting proper Arrival times for Cycling. Using bicycle the estimated arrival times using "faster time" are simply calculated by averaging 18km/h - hence not very useful. Using "shorter distance" the arrival time often becomes really bogus. Using Automotive, Car/Motorcycle or other modes, the times will be far too short. Also elevation (so climbs or downhills) are not taken into the calculation. This is the same for Garmins own maps.

New Generation (Basecamp 3.3 or newer, Garmin GPS with Activity Routing Support)

Basecamp v3.3 and above, as well as GPS Devices with Activity Routing, behave quite differently to previous versions, or Mapsource, and also on the internal side of how it checks the maps, and what it does is very different. So Let's have a look on what you can set. In Principle (except for etrex 10/20/30) the GPS devices behave very similar to Basecamp v4.

In the top left, you can set the Profile. Currently Automotive is activated.

Automotive and Motorcycling have been the method of choice for Basecamp v3 and Mapsource - but are not really usable except for short distances with VeloMaps in Basecamp v4 and newer anymore! On etrex and 62s series - where you cannot choose ATV as routing mode - use car or bicycle.

Then there are several Bicycling, Mountainbiking, Group Cycling (and maybe more in future) options. With the VeloMap - if you configure the avoidances the same, they all route alike. These modes are okay, if you don't mind to find yourself quite often on asphalt and streets. They do tend  to often use bigger streets with newer firmwares though or in Basecamp v4.

ATV and Dirt Biking Route pretty similar - Dirt Biking gives the best routes and can route over very long distances (>100km by air without any intermediary routing points). However Dirt Biking is not available on most GPS devices - while ATV is (e.g. on most Oregon/Montana and maybe Dakota/64s?).

Therefore you can chose between ATV - which is the best choice if you want to transfer the route itself to your new generation device - and Dirt Biking, which you can use for best routes that you copy via right-click advanced to a track - and send the track to your device (except of course if your device supports Dirt Biking profile - then go for it in any case).

Hiking, Walking, Mountaineering also all behave alike --> The results are okay for short distances with the Velomap - over long distances however it seems to use the worst streets/ways for cycling (mainly primary and secondary roads).

Road Type Avoidances

Interstates: I have put cycleroutes high priority into my maps. If you tick "avoid Interstates" then this high preference is largely reduced. Never tick it if you you like cycleroutes and don't mind the occassional detour it takes to stay on a cycleroutes. If you are however a roadbiker, and your main aim is to cycle fast and improve your fitness, then you can tick this box, and you'll be mainly routed over unclassifed and tertiary streets.

Major Highways: If you tick it you will avoid streets that are nice for cycling, cycleways, cyclepaths, and so on. Well as you want to cycle with this map, I don't think you ever want to tick that box.

State Highways: Don't tick it. Most ways in the Velomap would be blocked.

Residential Roads: If you tick it, then actual highways where cycling is allowed, are avoided (primary and secondary streets that have no cycleways), as well as actual residential roads. For roadbiking this might make sense. For recreational cycling, don't tick it.

Unpaved roads: Does what it says and avoids unpaved roads. However also avoids ways that are not good enough quality for a racing bicycle with slick tires  (sometimes this fails because of missing/wrong OSM data or tags). Also avoid ways, where cycling is forbidden, but thought to be still possible. (e.g. a primary road, where cycling is forbidden).

Feature Type Avoidances:

Toll roads Avoids ways not suitable for a trekking bicycle. Note really difficulty ways like via ferratas, difficult alpine ways, or difficult mtb trails are not routable anyhow. In General this avoids ways with tracktype 5 or above, or mtb:scale>0 or sac_scale mountain_hiking or above. Note that the ways avoided, are of very low priority, so usually never taken.

Avoid Ferries - Avoids ferries, cablecars, gondolas and mixed lifts.

U-Turns avoids any turn over 120° - best not use, because it will destroy sensible autorouting.

Cable Cars: Does not matter with Velomaps (or better, does not work, best don't tick anyhow).

Narrow Trails: Does not matter with Velomaps.

Carpool lanes: Avoids all ways where cycling is forbidden (and no more).

Date and Time Closures - it is currently not possible with mkgmap to produce maps that react to this setting.

Climbing Paths: Does not matter with Velomaps.

Roundabouts: Well does exactly what it says. I advice you to never tick this box, else roundabouts are avoided, and then routing likely won't work well.

So what of the above makes sense?

For roadbiking: Use Dirt Biking / ATV  as transport mode if available (or else try car or bicycle), tick "avoid toll roads", tick "avoid unpaved roads". Play around with avoiding Interstates as well as Residential roads to your liking. Shorter Distance no detours, faster time for nicer roads.

For commuting: Use Dirt Biking / ATV  as transport mode if available (or else try car or bicycle), shorter distance, and don't tick any avoidances.

For recreational cycling / trekking / touring: Use Dirt Biking / ATV  as transport mode if available (or else try car or bicycle), faster time, and tick "avoid toll roads" if you hate to very very occassionally need to push your bike, because a short stretch of the track is not nice for your rather slick tires.

-- As the map data in Openstreetmap is everywhere different, and also the offer of good ways/routes for cycling differs a lot, just try around a bit in Basecamp, to find out what happens. In General Basecamp and your GPS will route similar over short distances.

Old Generation (Mapsource, Garmin GPS without Activity Routing Support)

Transport Modes

Car/Motorcycle =  Works well on shorter distances - might produce long detours. Routes over All Roads and Ways exactly like Bicycle.

Taxi = avoids under most circumstances footways; steps, pedestrian ways, living streets or streets with unknown surface/tracktype.  To avoid unpaved ways, you still need to select to avoid them. Besides it routes identical to car/motorcycle

Bus / Truck = Avoids turning. Hence don't use it.

Pedestrian No good autorouting over longer distances, will usually give quite direct vias - does not respect oneways.

Bicycle =  Works well in combination with "shorter distance". Is good for calculating longer distances on you GPS if you get "out of memory" errors. Routes over All Roads and Ways exactly like Car/Motorcycle.

Avoidances

Avoid toll roads Avoids ways not suitable for a trekking bicycle. Note really difficulty ways like via ferratas, difficult alpine ways, or difficult mtb trails are not routable anyhow. In General this avoids ways with tracktype 5 or above, or mtb:scale>0 or sac_scale mountain_hiking or above. Note that the ways avoided, are of very low priority, so usually never taken.

Avoid unpaved roads: Does what it says and avoids unpaved roads. However also avoids ways that are not good enough quality for a racing bicycle (sometimes this fails because of missing/wrong OSM data or tags). Also avoid ways, where cycling is forbidden, but thought to be still possible. (e.g. a primary road, where cycling is forbidden).

U-Turns avoids any turn over 120° - best not use, because it will destroy sensible autorouting.

Carpool lanes - does nothing.

Avoid Ferries - Avoids ferries, cablecars, gondolas and mixed lifts.

Date and Time Closures - it is currently not possible with mkgmap to produce maps that react to this setting.

Only For Mapsource

Note the slider called "Road Selection".  The more towards the right (prefer highways) you push it, the more you will be routed over Cycleroutes and Cycleways. Never move it to the left. If you feel that cycleroutes are favored too much, better use transport mode: bicycle, or use "shorter distance".

Only Available on (some) old Generation Garmin GPS Devices

NEVER Tick  "Avoid Highways" - It will block the best ways. On my maps, shared use pathes and cycleways are encoded for the GPS as highways. Real highways or big streets where cycling is not allowed are not routable anyhow with the Velomaps (so no need to avoid them).

Route Calculation Method: Per default I would advise to use "quick". However if you get "out of memory" errors, go for "better route". On best route calculation is able to get you to pretty remote places, however you might need to wait up to 10 minutes or longer until the calculation is actually finished.

Route Calculation Percentage value -  The indicator has a bug on all units. It is only correct if jumping by several percent. However if it only increases by one percent per second, then it will reach 100% long before it has calculated the route. Hence when it gets stuck at 100%, there is still a good chance that the route can actually be calculated correctly. Using "better route" or "best route" for route calculation method, this often means waiting 3-5minutes until the route is actually calculated.

So what of the above makes sense?

For roadbiking: Use "Bicycle" as transport mode, tick "avoid toll roads", tick "avoid unpaved roads", and use shorter distance/faster time to your liking. Maybe if you don't mind very few times to cycle on gravel, then don't activate "avoid unpaved roads" - they won't be frequent.

for commuting: Use "Bicycle", shorter distance, and don't tick any avoidances

for recreational cycling / trekking / touring: Use Car/Motorcycle, Faster Time, and tick "avoid toll roads".

-- As the map data in Openstreetmap is everywhere different, and also the offer of good ways/routes for cycling differs a lot, just try around a bit in Mapsource, to find out what happens. In General Mapsource and your GPS will route similar over short distances.

General Tips and Advices - e.g. Route Calculation Fails

If Routing fails and you need to get somewhere without being able to set via points, you can try with “shorter distance” caculation which should autoroute even through heavily mapped cities (actually the better a region is mapped, without sufficient bicycle/mtb routes the more difficult it is for the routing engine to get over longer distances, Enabling “shorter distance” instead of “Faster Time” gets you to your destination quite well (though then also big streets are chosen quite often). Due to the way the maps are setup, setting your GPS to “shorter distance” should generate routes that are much quicker. “Faster Time” calculates nicer routes, but will take much more time. It it fails with "out of memory" error, you can also change the route calculation method. Another possibility to to deactivate "avoid unpaved roads". Often some very small patches of unpaved roads will hinder the routing to work well. Then just try to cycle a bit nearer using the route, and after a few kilometers (or better say 20 turns) click on recalculate after reactivating avoid unpaved roads.

Routing does not work over long distances:

There are two main causes for bad routing: 1. non connected streets in OSM. 2. Not enough streets suitable for cycling - or tracks and pathes that are not tagged with tracktype/smoothness so that they are blocked when using "avoid unpaved roads". You should be able to route for 15km minimum to about 70-80km maximum without needing to route over via points on old GPS. Using Mapsource or newer GPS like Oregon or Dakota you can route over much longer distances. Very very long routes will never work because the routing engine of Garmin is not strong enough (and maybe there are still some improvements to be made in mkgmap). This is because Garmin algorithm likes to go straight for long time (like on a motorway) - routes suitable for cycling or mountainbiking make turns, have many intersections and are not so easy to be routed on. Because I don't want the maps to send you onto big roads, routing will not work over long distances. For autorouting inside your car there are better maps available. Maps offered here are supposed to give you the best routing possible on Garmin GPS for mountainbiking / hiking or cycling. Solution: Insert additional via-points.

How to overcome problems when routing over long distances:

Routing without via points over large distances (i.e. 50-100km) will often not work, even though by setting via points you will find a way. The better the OSM Coverage the greater the distance you can cover with the autoroute function. For in car use I recommend either Garmin City Navigator maps if you have the doll to shell out, or the excellent Autoroutable maps by Lambertus:  http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php The maps offered here are to be used for cycling, commuting via bicycle and roadbiking. I have structured the Routing Preferences so that small streets are preferred over larger streets. If you want to plan you're routes in Mapsource and be sure that recalculation works on GPS I recommend you to read through here: plan-routes-efficiently following this tutorial and using wingdb you can easily create routes via pc that go over 200-300km. I advise however to make a new route for each day.